Castleton
The unusual Derbyshire village of
Castleton, overlooked by what remains of Peveril Castle, is
the only natural source of the semi precious Blue John
Stone. Above ground Castleton & the surrounding area is
a place of stunning natural beauty, including Winnats Pass;
the steep road out of the village, climbing 1300 feet up
through a dale, banked by near vertical cliffs (originally
caused by the collapse of a huge cave passage), and Mam Tor,
also known as "The Shimmering Mountain" because of its
occassional gritstone & shale landslides. Below ground
there is another world - four very different local show
caves (originally used for mining Blue John and lead),
including Peak Cavern whose enourmous entrance once housed
the village of Castleton, and Speedwell Cavern, where one is
taken by boat through underground passages dug 200 years ago
by lead miners.
The village itself contains many interesting gift shops and
antique shops (with plenty of Blue John related items), as
well as cafes, pubs and hotels. And for those who believe
that the magic has gone out of Christmas - a trip to
Castleton during the festive season may get you
rethinking.
